1st time catamaran charter advice?
Posted by -smartcasual-@reddit | sailing | View on Reddit | 16 comments
I charter a boat every summer in Greece or Turkey. With another couple joining us on their first sailing trip (and some heavy lobbying from the OH) I'm considering a catamaran for the extra space - a Bali 4.1 or Lagoon 42.
I'm experienced with 45-50ft monohulls, and it's a pretty relaxed cruising area, but I've never skippered a cat before, and there'll only be one other experienced hand on board.
I know a big cruising cat won't point worth a damn, but aside from that, are there any other big differences in handling from a monohull, or instincts to unlearn?
For example, I'm looking forward to turning on a penny, but I'm still a little worried about sight lines and windage in the marina - it's a big chunk of boat, and the helm position is very different to what I'm used to.
Also, are there any good ways to 'feel' if the sails get overpowered, or should I always keep a good eye on the wind speed and a hand on the mainsheet in gusty weather?
Cheers!
phliff@reddit
Docking a cat is way easier. Like driving a tank. I did 20kt to my beam and squeezed into a spot in Ithaca. Overpowering - usually the main - if it’s not doing what you want let the main out- they have so much power! And charter cats give you tiny jibs. You can make a cat go and I like it more as it’s flat and fast - you can use the whole boat under sail. Biggest advice is invest a bit of time moving the boat in close quarters - do some doughnuts and get a feel for how it reacts - once you get a feel it’s real nice.
One-Warthog3063@reddit
If you have the time, I strongly recommend you take the ASA or USSailing course for Cruising Catamarans. It will be worth it.
They do have much more windage than a monohull.
They are just as happy upside down as right side up, so reef early and often.
thebemusedmuse@reddit
The big difference is at low speeds, you don’t use the rudder. Instead you use the engines.
Left reverse right forward = turn left Left forward right back = turn right
You feather the throttles to maneuver at close quarters. Hands off the wheel.
Other than that you just have two of many things.
Honestly cats make great cruisers.
foxhollow@reddit
If the rudders are ahead of the sail drives, you need to hold the wheel still when in reverse. Otherwise prop wash will slam the rudders into the stops, possibly damaging them. It happens a lot faster than you might expect!!
1have2much3time@reddit
always lock the wheel at center first in a cat when docking/leaving.
thebemusedmuse@reddit
Sure. Center the rudder and lock it.
Unholy_Racket@reddit
I was in the same position as you: many years sailing and chartering monohulls then had problems with our (brand new) 46ft monohull and the charter company only had a Bali 4.1 catamaran available, so I took that. And I was seduced! So much more space to be in when under way - not perched on the weather seats in the cockpit or pressed into the leeward seats, proper protection from wind and spray (and rain, on occasions). No heeling is just great. The sleeping accommodation is no better than in a monohull of comparable length because the hulls are quite narrow, but the saloon and deck space being all on the same level makes a huge difference. I've now chartered several cats of between 42 and 45 feet, and they have all been great. Handling under power is very straightforward - others have commented here on how to do it - and sailing similarly: the only problem we had was raising the mainsail on a Lagoon 45, where it kept getting caught on the lazy jack. There are new tricks and techniques to learn (eg anchoring and setting the snubber), and it is a long way down to a mooring ball. I find I am using the engines a good deal, moror sailing when the wind is anything forward of the beam. Leeway is terrible! But enjoy!
-smartcasual-@reddit (OP)
I have to say, the foredeck on the Bali looks like a great little superyacht touch. What did you make of that boat compared to the Lagoon?
Unholy_Racket@reddit
Yes, the Bali has a solid foredeck rather than a trampoline. They're all fine - there's just so much space. If anything the problem is not having places to hold on.
greatlakesailors@reddit
Reef early. Reef according to the gusts, not the lulls. The main non-intuitive thing about a cat is just how easy it is to end up overpowered, because the boat won't feel overpowered the way a mono does – it will just turn wind speed into boat speed right up until you're on the hairy edge of disaster.
If you keep that in mind, and take some time early on to practice turning and manoeuvring the thing under engines, you'll be fine.
foxhollow@reddit
In particular, reef early when going downwind. If the wind picks up, turning head to wind to stop the boat (because someone went overboard, for example) might cause you to capsize.
-smartcasual-@reddit (OP)
Thanks. If you're sailing a cat downwind from a MOB in gusty weather, I guess you'd need to remember to let the sheets go and depower before you head up. So you're probably going to end up a fair bit further away from your MOB than if you just stand on the brakes by broaching your monohull, right?
foxhollow@reddit
I think you just never want to find yourself in a position where presenting your beam to the wind in a gust will make for an apparent wind speed that is higher than the reefing guidelines would suggest. In other words, reef according to whatever the apparent wind speed would be if you were on a beam reach.
If you adhere to that maxim, you can head up or heave to or whatever the instant you need to without having to worry about whether or not you're going to make things much, much worse.
In stronger winds you have way more sail than you'll ever need to achieve hull speed. On the lagoon 42 I chartered most recently, I put in the first reef at 15kts even though the guidelines might say I didn't need to until 20+. I maybe gave up half a knot? But it's cruising, not racing. Gave my crew more time to nap. :)
foxhollow@reddit
If your cat is like the ones I've chartered, the headsail will be wildly underpowered compared to the big fully roached main sail. This makes balancing the sails a challenge. Depending on your point of sail you might need to allow a *lot* of twist in the main or reef the main well before the guidelines suggest.
Darthnomster@reddit
Seconding what others have said here. Follow the charter company’s guidance on reefing. They’ll give you wind speeds to put in the first reef and second. Follow that advice. Also follow the other posters advice about slow speed maneuvering. Center the helm and use differential thrust. I’d also say that picking up a mooring or anchoring can be interesting because of the sight lines or lack thereof. With two couples, have one crew handling the pendant or windlass, and some else hand signaling to you at the helm. You might not be able to see the person handling the ground tackle. Same with docking. Have someone watch you blind spots and communicate with you.
Vedro2000@reddit
I also went to a cat without a prior training, and honestly it wasn't difficult.
When there's little wind it is very easy as you can rotate it on it's center point. Anchoring is much easier with more control twin engines provides you.
The only difference for me was med mooring.
I wasn't backing up to wind direction and then suddenly turning into an arc as I would with a monohull.
Instead, in low wind conditions I would very simply back up using twin engines. In stronger wind conditions you can either up the throttle and literally backup to the slip or what I did more often: drive up the wind parallel to the dock and rotate in front of the slip and than slam reverse.
You'll be fine, just feel it out in front of the marina.